This is my second trip to the January Scottsdale auctions, an orgy of buying and selling collector cars that, along with being one of the biggest money weeks in all of our hobby, has become something of a spectator sport as well. The crowds are notoriously large at Barrett-Jackson’s week-long, nationally televised event, but there isn’t necessarily a whole lot of elbow room at the other five auctions either.

Now that I am no longer a Scottsdale novice, amateur hour thankfully over, this year, along with our regular coverage of Russo and Steele, RM Auctions, Gooding & Company, Bonhams, Silver and Barrett-Jackson, I have picked out 21 cars that I will be specifically looking at, following their performance at auction. There are different reasons I have my eye on these cars, some to see if recent auction action suggests movement in a particular model’s value, some because they are cars I have always had an affinity for, and at least one that I have personally studied up close, photographing it and writing about it for one of our magazines.

Competition Cobra at the 2013 RM Auctions event at the Arizona Biltmore. Photo by the author.

I will also be on the lookout for performance of such auction mainstays as the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL roadster and gullwing, the Ferrari Dino 246 models and any Jaguar E-type Series I’s, particularly given the price one such cat commanded in November at the RM/Sotheby’s auction in New York.

1928 Stutz BB Speedster. Photo by the author.

Gooding, Lot 9: 1928 Stutz Model BB Four-Passenger Speedster. Not long after I started here at Hemmings, Hemmings Classic Car editor Richard Lentinello sent me to photograph this Stutz BB Speedster, a Full Classic worthy of the designation and the recipient of a Pebble Beach-award-winning restoration along with a few small upgrades in the name of driveability. While not exactly the color I would choose for my Stutz (the long, low Stutz eight-cylinder cars look particularly imposing in black with red accents), the car presented very well and looks to be the sort that a new owner will enjoy driving immensely, especially with the upgrades.

Gooding, Lot 59: 1973 Fiat Dino Coupe. Using the same engines as the Ferrari Dino 206 and 246 GT and GTS, the Fiat Dino has long been thought of as a poor man’s Ferrari. Because Fiat manufactured the dual-overhead-cam V-6 engines for Ferrari, they also used them in their Dino coupe and convertible, bodied respectively by Bertone and Pininfarina. The Dino remains somewhat affordable, though prices have been rising. Will it remain affordable to have a Fiat bade with Ferrari sounds coming from underneath?

Gooding, Lot 117: 1955 Lancia Aurelia B24S. Lancias have come on strong in recent years and none more so than the Aurelia B24S Spider America, perhaps the rarest of the lot and certainly the most coveted. The pre-auction estimate (a figure to not be studied too closely) has this car north of seven figures. A similar left-hand-drive B24S sold at RM Auctions last January for $825,000. (That same car sold for $550,000 in August 2007.) We will be watching to see if this rare model – just 181 made with left-hand drive – has truly moved another 25 percent in the last 12 months.

Gooding, Lot 154: 1956 Austin-Healey 100M / RM Auctions, Lot 35: 1956 Austin-Healey 100M. Perhaps the ultimate Big Healey, even more so than the later six-cylinder cars, the 100M four-cylinder models featured significantly upgraded engines with higher compression, bigger carbs, different intake and airbox, a high-lift camshaft and a unique, louvered hood along with a collapsible, cut-down windshield. Though many 100Ms were created by enterprising owners and participating dealers, just 640 came equipped from the factory this way. Prices have moved north in recent years, particularly for authentic factory originals. We will be watching to see if that trend continues.

RM Auctions, Lot 6: 1963 Ford Thunderbird Sports Roadster “M-Code”. One of the last gasps of a truly sporting car to wear the Thunderbird moniker, just 37 Thunderbird Sports Roadsters were built in 1963 with the M-code V-8: a 390-cu.in. monster motor topped with a trio of Holley two-barrel carburetors making 340 horsepower. Thunderbirds of this bullet-nose era rarely garner big bucks, but rarity and the sexy Sports Roadster model with its back-seat covering tonneau with built-in headrests really makes a statement.

RM Auctions, Lot 14: 1933 Packard Twelve Coupe Roadster. There is no question that this Packard Twelve Roadster is a stunning car, but the days of frenzied bidding for all but the very top cars of the era may be over. Perhaps it’s a generational thing, but are Full Classics becoming somewhat more affordable as collectors chase postwar European sports cars and muscle machines?

RM Auctions, Lot 49: 1939 BMW 327/28 Coupe. BMW 328 roadsters always make waves, but the 327 coupes, rare as they are, seldom seem to show up at auction. And what makes this model all the more enticing is the more powerful 328 engine, a robust 80-hp, 2.0-liter straight-six under the hood, which gives it the 327/28 designation. While BMW manufactured 482 cabriolet 328s, they produced only 86 closed-roof 327/28s. Rarity does not always trump an open-top car at auction. We shall see if it does at RM, though it would be hard pressed to match recent 328 sales of $500,000 or more.

1955 Chrysler C-300 from RM Auctions. Photo courtesy RM Auctions.

RM Auctions, Lot 73: 1955 Chrysler C-300. Chrysler’s original “Letter Car” was the meanest, fastest and baddest machine on the road in 1955. Back when stock car racing meant actual, stock automobiles, a stock 300-C took NASCAR’s Grand National title in 1955 and 1956. Handsome, powerful and with a racing pedigree – what’s not to like?

Russo and Steele, Consignment Number 7661: 1957 Chevrolet 150 Coupe. This might just be the unicorn of 1957 Chevys: No 350 small-block swap; a simple, two-door post sedan; low-level 150 trim devoid of the Bel Air’s added chrome. Still featuring its original, unmolested 235-cu.in. straight-six and three-speed manual, this was pretty much as basic as Chevy got in 1957.

Russo and Steele, Consignment Number 7066: 1969 Dodge Charger 500. The slightly shyer, slightly older brother to the Dodge Daytona. With lower production (roughly 392 cars made), this sleeker – but not the sleekest – of the coke-bottle Chargers is equipped with a four-speed and a Hemi, along with the slick aerodynamic back glass and flush Coronet front end that Dodge had incorporated into the design to make it more superspeedway friendly for NASCAR competition. A low-volume muscle car that those in-the-know will instantly recognize.

Russo and Steele, Consignment Number 7555: 1972 Mercedes-Benz 280 SEL. These robust W108 long-wheelbase sedans were never exactly disposable, but after years of being just a cheap, old, but super-elegant classic Mercedes, their prices seem to be on the rise. And, personally, having more or less learned to drive in such a car, I have always had my eye on them. This one has low mileage (51,000 – sort of super-low for a model known to be durable enough to reach half-a-million clicks on the odometer) and with prices going way up for the coupes, cabrios and super-sporty 6.3-liter V-8-powered cars, it will be interesting to see what Russo and Steele can get for this car.

Bonhams, Lot 111: 1977 Porsche 911 Coupe. With 911s of every other vintage heating up like a super nova, it is only a matter of time before the previously stagnant 1974-1977 2.7-liter models took fire. This car will make a fine test for the model: It’s said to be a “survivor” with less than 21,000 original miles, though the engine was rebuilt after sitting for quite a spell. Best of all, as a no-reserve auction, it will definitely sell and tell us what the market thinks of the 2.7-liter cars.

Bonhams, Lot 166: 1967 Simca Coupe. Sold last year in Arizona by Gooding for $28,000, this Simca is a very-original, very low-mileage example. It’s not perfect, but, then again, it’s a true survivor in remarkably original condition. The Simca is not exactly a beautiful car; far from it, really. And you don’t find a lot of people beating down the doors seeking out Simcas. The true questions here are if originality trumps beauty and if Bonhams can find two people willing to duke it out over such originality.

Barrett-Jackson, Lot 1659.2: 1957 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser Convertible Pace Car Replica. As 1957 models go, the Mercury Turnpike Cruiser often finds itself as a wallflower when enthusiast collectors come courting Chevy Bel Airs or De Sotos and their sexy wings. But the Turnpike Cruiser was a legitimate performance car with its 368-cu.in. V-8 capable of 290 horsepower, and only a handful of the 1,265 made were Indianapolis 500 Pace Car replicas like this one. Owning such a car would probably make you pretty unique at the local cruise-in, and the decal package, in the period type, looks pretty cool.

Barrett-Jackson, Lot 142: 1969 Ford Talladega. As a big-block, dual-quad, Blue Oval alternative to a winged Mopar, may we present this 1969 Ford Talladega. Like the Dodge Daytona and Plymouth Superbird, the Talladega was designed to help cheat the wind on NASCAR’s big ovals. In street trim, with a potent 428 Cobra Jet and a C-6 automatic, this documented Talladega is likely equally at home purring along the boulevard or tearing up the strip. As a no reserve auction, we should be able to see how it stacks up to the Charger 500 being sold by Russo and Steele.

1965 Pontiac GTO. Photo courtesy Barrett-Jackson.

Barrett-Jackson, Lot 502.1: 1965 Pontiac GTO Hardtop. Here’s something we like to see at the Arizona auctions: a good, clean, documented muscle car. Pontiac made GTOs in abundance, so we’re the better for it today. This car, with its potent 389 Tri-Power and clean, simple, white-over-blue color scheme and body-color steel wheel with dog dish hubcaps presents an alternative to restomods and replicas of high-zoot, ultra-low-production muscle car royalty. So, does the market like clean and simple or extra fancy?

1937 Cadillac V-12 Formal Sedan. Photo courtesy Barrett-Jackson.

Barrett-Jackson, Lot 818: 1937 Cadillac V-12 Formal Sedan. As with the Packard Twelve above, I will be paying attention to this 12-cylinder Cadillac and its Fleetwood-built Formal Sedan coachwork. Being a closed car just beyond the most compelling design years and being American seem to be three strikes against big gains these days, but, hey, that’s what no reserve auctions are there for: To tell us just exactly what a car is worth.

Silver, Lot 308: 1997 Porsche Boxster. This is the sort of car we love to find at Silver, which almost seems a secret compared to the big-bucks auctions held miles away from Silver’s Fort McDowell event. In this case a first-year Boxster, looking like it’s been plenty used will either be a bargain or a potential fixer-upper for the next owner. And, because it’s listed no reserve, it will find a new home, guaranteed.

Silver, Lot 11: 1966 Buick Wildcat Convertible. Silver is a potential gold mine for the bargain hunters willing to go beyond Scottsdale’s well-groomed borders. And this Wildcat looks to have been respectfully restored, well maintained and recently updated, according to the seller’s description. Wildcats don’t always have the panache and glory that “true” muscle cars do, but, then again, they usually don’t carry anywhere near the price tag of such panache and glory.

16 Responses to “Cars I’ll be watching in Arizona”

Yes, please do a follow up. I will be watching the hysteria from my couch as in potato, but am very interested in the results. Isn’t B-J already auctioning? I thought I saw one of these cars cross the block last night.

Well, I won’t be able to be down there to personally witness the carnage this year (expecting another grandkid any minute) so I’ll be attempting to catch the event through the media like so many others. I’m going to miss it, especially the Saturday night zoo when the high end stuff comes up. The TV doesn’t come close to conveying the excitement you feel when those bids cross the $1M. On the other hand, my wife won’t shudder when she sees me don that lanyard that lets me into that ‘forbidden’ zone.

There’s enough modified 57′s out there. It still amazes me that some enthusiasts still want to screw up these 57 Chevies, to make it there own.

I hope and pray this black and white baby one gets into the hands of someone who truly wants a unique Chevy not one like everyone else has. Just my opinion and I hope I don’t offend a few million 57 Chevy owners who enjoy their own “unique” 57 Chevy.

Have always loved the ’61 to ’66 birds. Had a ’62 coupe, finally had to sell it as it was getting tired. Suggestion for over enthusiastic copy writing: a 390 anything was NOT a “monster motor”, nor were these generations of T-birds remotely a sporting car. They were a pleasure to drive, went well for the time, but still weighed a couple of tons and handled like it.

Is this a Packard proclivity or did the ad writers not know the difference between a roadster, and a convertible or cabriolet?

My 64 is heavy and soft riding. Thank god for radial tires or corners would be an adventure. I can say though that 300HP and 427 torque are adequate even in todays traffic. My engine I rebuilt and I put a bigger cam and moly rings as the only upgrades. This car goes an easy 85 on the interstate all day. I drive from Silver City, NM to Las Vegas, NV every spring and other than getting 14 mpg and somehow no speeding tickets, so this car is no trailer queen. This car blew the doors off a brand new Subaru BRZ stoplight to stoplight; in fact, so bad I was in his lane when I stopped! So don’t tell me a 390 is a slouch. I’ll take a big block over a 4 banger any day.

I’m sure Terry did a very good job showing us cars that are overpriced and can’t be driven anywhere due to their high acquisition and repair costs should an accident occur. On the other hand, if one participates in these hysteria based affairs, and one is buying art or an asset class, I’m sure the whole thing is more interesting than Davos, for example, or watching grass grow.
Everybody please remember that you are in a Hobby that is an Asset Class, and no matter what you own, there is a buyer for it. But drive the things.

I don’t agree with the statement “no reserve so we can see what the car’s really with” with the B-J auction cars because most of the prices are overinflated and not true representative of the marketplace. Same story with me this year – I wil be attending as a spectator only.

“most of the prices are overinflated”…..it is an auction, the prices are set by the crowd. If they are paying too much it’s because they don’t want to invest the time in shopping around, have poor judgement, or are intoxicated/showing off. Probably a few other reasons i missed as well.

I had a 1966 T-Bird with a 390 that I owned and drove daily from 1971-75, and I can confirm wholeheartedly that these are very sporty and powerful cars. I mean, the car had to be sporty for Dean Martin to drive one in the Matt Helm movie detective series of the mid-1960s. You wouldn’t find Dino cruising around in some dinky MG. The women I dated loved the low-slung, sexy styling of this car, and the incredibly cool interior with the 4-pod space-age-looking dashboard and the wraparound rear seats. The 390 my car had with a 4-barrel carb moved out from a dead stop with plenty of power. The big T-Bird also was the best high speed cruiser I have owned, very smooth and quiet with dual exhaust with mufflers and resonators. This car had the absolute best A/C of any car I have ever driven– ice cold. And with 5-speed wipers and power adjustable seat and windows, disc brakes, wow! If anything, the car had too many extras, and that meant more stuff to go wrong.

………..nice selection…….will keep you hopping to watch all of them cross the block…….make sure you wear a Hemmings jacket and wander around the stage at BJ so we can spot you on TV.
Don’t know if they still allow it, but the best “car corral” in America used to be the hundreds of interesting cars for sale at the side of the road on the highway leading to BJ…….every “curbsider” and “flipper” in the Southwest (which includes most of the male population of Phoenix) had his wares lined up there. It’s like “running the gauntlet” for any car guy with cash in his pocket…..very hard to come out the other side without buying some dubious project.
Just remember to stay clear of any “title’s in the mail” bargains.